My left balljoint has play after less than one year of installing it!! Yes I did go with the cheapest control arms I could find I torqued the nuts to the listed specifications and they were tight.

Has anyone been able to modify the control arms to accept replaceable sidekick joints??  Would the sidekick ones even fit?  This is just nuts I do not want to be changing those things every year, I can't justify spending the dough. But seems like they don't hold up to the wheeling...  I'm also wondering if it could be from leaving the swaybar removed or just the lift and bigger tires?

Anyone else have a similar experience? Suggestions?

I'm looking at a sidekick for $800 bucks right with less kms than my truck... now thats about the cost of OEM control arms lol.

i have a friend that said he can purchase controle arm with replaceble ball joint for his 2001 tracker. im pretty sure he's just full of shit. i have never checked how much they are new, but may be just as cheap making some at the machine shop and make them replaceable. i never torqued a ball joint yet in all the cars i drove before and never had issues. i rather having it tight than not tight enough.

I put the cheap ones on mine too and they started to make noise after just a few months.  If you buy another set of the cheap ones, get a really thin needle adapter for a grease gun like the one half way down this page:

http://forum.ih8mud.com/60-series-wagons/488686-greasing-ome-leaf-springs.html

I've seen them at some autopart stores and harbor freight.  Buy two cause they're fragile and pump slowly with the gun.  I just poked a tiny hole with the needle through the boot and inject it.  You can't over fill it with grease so keep pumping until it starts to come out around the boot.

I've been greasing mine every few months with this and they don't make noise any more and seem to be holding up okay after 18 months and 35k miles.

As far as replaceable joints go, I can't really help you there.  Though, I believe the Calmini control arms for these trucks have replaceable joints.

Hmmm i seem to remember the factory torque spec was very low Difftoyota...maybe i shoulda just tightened up eh?

Frank I called Calmini today and they told me the same thing as last time: they won't seperate, gotta buy the whole kit.

I have a grease gun with needle that i used to keep my stock ball joints going...but with these cheap ones i put in ($285 for the set) the boots got wrecked in the first couple months so there's prob not much point in greasing them.

I do have the old control arms...maybe i could put new bushings and customize them to take a sidekick balljoint...if that balljoint even fits that is.  This would be awesome! I'm gonna look into this.

The situation now is i got new front tires and need an alignment, but the guy is going to do it best he can with bad balljoint anyways since i need to preserve the new rubber from uneven wear.

Update: it would appear almost impossible to make the stock arms accept replaceable balljoints...HOWEVER, a forum member who owns a fabrication shop has messaged me to advise that he already makes A arms for sidekick and expects to start testing vitara a arms in a week!  I'm gonna sit tight..

Who is this forum member who's going to be making control arms and how can I give him money!?

Do you know if they'll allow for some more lift?

I'm with samuraidan on this one! Maybe 1/2" or so wider would be nice along with the bit of lift!

I guess I won't mention his name until I get the ok from him because I dont know if he wants a bunch of people msging him.  I don't know what the details are either but im guessing that the replaceable joints wont be the only improvement...I will update when I know more.

i always thought it would be a worthwhile venture for something to manufacture aftermarket control arms for the second gen trucks. Currently, Calmini are the only guys doing it and last time i checked they could only be had if you buy the entire lift kit. I just want the wider control arms so i can put bigger spacers in.

Replaceable ball joints would be a plus too 

If that forum member is who I think its is, he's actually made a public statement to the effect that he'll be making control arms for both the Sidekick Sport and the second generation trucks - it's at the bottom of a thread on the strut replacements he's testing.

If that forum member is who I think its is, he's actually made a public statement to the effect that he'll be making control arms for both the Sidekick Sport and the second generation trucks - it's at the bottom of a thread on the strut replacements he's testing.

Must be the same guy fordem, but I couldn't find that thread...could you post the link for us? 

Update: it would appear almost impossible to make the stock arms accept replaceable balljoints...HOWEVER, a forum member who owns a fabrication shop has messaged me to advise that he already makes A arms for sidekick and expects to start testing vitara a arms in a week!  I'm gonna sit tight..

His A arms for the trackers are less than what your stock ones are.  I dpn't think you could go wrong especially if you wanted widen it and move the spindle forward "Hagen widening mod".
That being said, on my 1st gen Tracker.  I installed a 1/2 plate under the A arm where the Ball Joint mounts and moved the holes out 3/4" and forward 1 1/2".  This gives a little lift and moved the spindle forward where I wanted it.  I don't see why you couldn't do something similar.  If you do as I have when making the holes for the ball joint mounts, after drilling first set of pilot holes take measurements off points on A arm mounts to triangulate each hole so you can put those holes in exactly same place of other A arm.  You could do the math and just triangulate the center of ball joint and move it to where you want, or leave it in stock position.

Must be the same guy fordem, but I couldn't find that thread...could you post the link for us? 

  Wrong name but here it is.
http://www.zukiworld.com/forum/general-suzuki-forum/new-front-struts-trackersidekick/

I think the issue is that the stock arms are cast and not pressed sheet metal - it makes it a little more difficult to weld an extension on or to drill new holes.

I should clarify, I mean to say "nearly impossible" FOR ME to customize my stock arms!    That makes sense though.. but I thought that welding was out of the question with cast iron?

Anyways, my fabrication skills are verrry basic and I am just plain inexperienced so installing arms by Kreator would likely be more my pace.  I'm looking forward to it...and I'm not all down on Snowflake anymore I just think the lift, tires, swaybar removal, and the way it use means that she eats balljoints, so serviceable joints are the next logical step.

Welding on cast is very problematic. I would not try to put the modification I used on cast A arms.
Check with Kreator and see what his thinks his timing will be on A arms for your gen.